The Ninth Gate
by Roman Polanski
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DVD details
Actor: Barbara Jefford, Emmanuelle Seigner, Frank Langella, Johnny Depp, Lena OlinDirector: Roman Polanski
Brand: Lions Gate
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); French (Original Language); Latin (Original Language); Portuguese (Original Language); Spanish (Original Language)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 133 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-05-22
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Lions Gate
DVD Reviews of The Ninth Gate
DVD Review: A perfect balance between the occult and psychological thriller
Summary: 5 Stars
This film is vintage Polanski: there is little moral certitude, even if you are dealing with Satan, ruthless and evil acolytes, and a con man, expertly acted by Depp. Instead, you find a coherent and frightening journey of discovery and ambiguity. Depp is charged with examining the authenticity of some rare books, which is his profession, though he is also an unscrupulous and sleazy near-thief. As with all great actors, his every gesture exudes his personal confusion, ambition, and cynical humor - a complete personality and even an entire environment.
After witnessing a number of alarming crimes, he single-mindedly pursues his task (for which he is handsomely paid) and blithely ignores the destruction and murderous detritus as if walking though an obstacle course. Along the way, he keeps running into a mysterious and very beautiful woman, who seems to be protecting him, yet also playfully mocking him before disappearing only to reappear in dangerous moments. Looking not quite human yet vulnerable to injury, she seems to enjoy the evolution of Depp's character in a violent, unpredictable direction. There is a frightening scene where she annoints him with her blood. And the book: the more he discovers, the deeper he gets in becoming almost a direct participant in the antique illustrations in the book, which he scrutinizes as more manuscripts come to light. Depp's character emerges as something more than he appeared to be, though entirely lacking in simple definition. It is truly masterful.
The most beautiful aspect of the film is the sense - the feeling - of ominous mystery that pervades it. In other words, there are many clues that must be interpreted, and the viewer never reaches the point of saying, "oh, I get it", which in lesser films is followed by "that's it?" I found this delightfully fascinating and evocative, particularly as much of it takes place in a region similar to the one I currently live in in France. Typical of Polanski, this elevates the film to a higher art than other occult films, much as Rosemary's Baby did. The mood of the film is completely consistent and demands (and deserves) the viewer's full attention.
Warmly recommended. It is one of the best films I have seen in some time.
DVD Review: Devil in a Red Dress
Summary: 5 Stars
[This is the last review in my 31 Days of Halloween 2008 series. It's been fun going down Tombstone Lane & I want to thank you for taking the time to read these humble & horrific offerings. I hope you've had some fun too. I'm already looking forward to next year. More tales of terror & darkness to explore!]
Jumpin' J Lucifer, it looks like every Magus & Magatrix on the planet have reveiwed THE NINTH GATE--and some of the naughty kids actually gave the whole plot away.
I'll try to be both brief & discreet.
The teaming up of Roman Polanski & Johnny Depp was surely a pact made in hell--and I mean that in a GOOD way. Polanski's near obsession with the Diobolical Side often translate into memorable images on film. There are some obvious Satanic images in THE NINTH GATE, and others not so obvious.
Johnny Depp deftly plays the role of rare book investigator. It's nice to watch him play a more or less normal human being for a change. There's a very short sequence in the film I really enjoyed: Johnny Depp is waiting in a line (for something, I forgot what--short term memory loss, please bear with me.) Anyway, a little girl is standing next to him, giving him the evil eye. Depp looks down at her and does a very funny Johny Depp sort of double take. It was really cute--and I mean that in a nice way too.
Other cast members were excellent as well.
On one level the theme of the film is how to conjure up The Living Devil a la ROSEMARY'S BABY. There is another, perhaps more subtle interpretation, i.e. performance of The Great Work. The Great Work is alchemical rather than Satanic. The Great Work is based on positive spiritual concepts like the Gnostic sacrament of The Sacred Marriage; the Hindu Kundalini Yoga, Bhakti Yoga--and, in particular, Tantra Yoga, the Union of Shiva & Shakti.
And that's all of the plot I'm going to reveal.
The wonderful woodcut images on the pages of the much coveted book in the film are great. I like the way they look & play into the action.
[See MERCURIUS The Marriage of Heaven & Earth in the links list below.]
Another thing I liked about the movie is how Polanski makes fun of the wealthy Satanists' ridiculous pretentions. To miss that point is to miss the whole thing--and yet the viewer is still left (as in Left-Hand Path) with a reaffirmation that the Key to this Theory of Everything is Lucifer. To many people (who aren't necessarily Satanists), Lucifer represents, the Bringer of Light, a Promethian figure who is actually on the side of humanity in the Struggle for Existence. We can identify with being kicked on the butt out of Heaven.
I'll end here with a warning: Watch out for any edited versions of the film. I've seen one on the tube that not only cut out the cute sequence with the little girl, but butchered the sexual images at the conclusion--a desecration that completely demolished the whole point of the movie's theme.
Well, that's it.
HAVE A HAPPY & HORROR-FILLED HALLOWEEN!
Regards,
JEFarrow
Mercurius: The Marriage of Heaven and Earth
Carnival Of Lost Souls
Rosemary's Baby
The Fearless Vampire Killers, or Pardon Me but Your Teeth Are in My Neck
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (Special Collector's Edition)
Zombies: A Field Guide to the Walking Dead
Daimonic Reality: A Field Guide to the Otherworld
Luciferian Witchcraft
DVD Review: An Incendiary Thriller
Summary: 4 Stars
Controversial director Roman Polanski (Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown) has a talent for creating suspenseful films that utilize character actors in roles, which allow them to be ambiguous and amorphous. In his thriller, The Ninth gate, he returns to the genres he seems to be the most comfortable with: psychological suspense, and horror. Loosely based upon the book El Club Dumas, which was written by acclaimed Spanish author Arturo P?rez-Reverte, The Ninth Gate is a straightforward mystery/conspiracy with supernatural elements. The screenplay written by Enrique Urbizu, Roman Polanski, and John Brownjohn, greatly simplifies the novel, which was deemed too complex and plot heavy to film in its entirety. However, in spite of this harsh adaptive process the film is quite impressive, though it may be a disappointment for fans of the novel.
Dean Corso is an unscrupulous bibliophile and book appraiser, who specializes in rare and highly valuable books. When he is contacted by billionaire Boris Balkan to verify the authenticity of the satanic volume, The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows, by seeking out the only other two existing copies. Balkan claims that he purchased his copy from a man named Telfer who committed suicide the day after he sold the book.
Corso goes on a mercenary quest that takes him through Europe and he crosses paths with some very strange and unsavory characters. He has a shallow sexual encounter with Telfer's wife, Liana, who desperately wants the book back. Corso also has repeat encounters with an enigmatic and beautiful stranger, who seems to show up whenever he needs help of some sort. Corso soon learns that she is not what she seems.
It becomes apparent that Corso is being closely monitored by Boris Balkan, who calls him repeatedly to demand updates on his success, and it's also apparent that Liana Telfer has sent her lethal bodyguard after Corso and the book.
While examining and comparing the different copies of the book, Corso stumbles onto a secret. There are subtle differences in the book's illustrations, which serve as symbols or keys to conjuring the Devil, and Corso realizes that all three copies are legitimate but only with all of the illustrations can one understand their true meaning.
As people around him start dying, Corso finds himself caught in the middle of a deadly diabolical conspiracy. He soon learns that some books are dangerous, that some mysteries should never be solved, and that some doors are better left unopened.
Stylistically, The Ninth Gate has much in common with 1940s film noir, as well as the more sophisticated horror films of the `60s and `70s. The film is very reminiscent of Roman Polanski's other films and yet it never feels redundant or predictable, which in itself is unusual when you consider the genre that he's working within. The film is boosted by a terrific score by Wojciech Kilar, and the combined efforts of the production designer, the costume designer, and the cinematographer. But the film's greatest asset is Polanski's uncanny ability to tell a sensational story while allowing the audience to suspend disbelief.
The Ninth Gate features a superb cast, which includes Johnny Depp as Dean Corso, Frank Langella as Boris Balkan, Lena Olin as Liana Telfer, And Emmanuelle Seigner as The Girl.
The DVD includes an audio commentary by Roman Polanski, an isolated music score, a featurette, a gallery of satanic drawings, storyboard selections, production notes, cast & crew bios, theatrical trailers and TV spots.
Also recommended:
The Skull
The Exorcist - The Complete Anthology
The Complete Omen Collection
The Seventh Sign
The Devil's Advocate
Stigmata
From Hell
DVD Review: Only Johnny Gets To Climax
Summary: 3 Stars
So the Devil, having eternity to pass the time and no XBOX 360, got bored one night in 1666, thought it was fun to play a game by conjuring up a puzzle. Whoever solves this puzzle is granted the powers of a god. You know, immortality, invincibility, ability to fly, walk on water, all that god stuff. The keys to this puzzle are hidden in 3 books, in the form of 9 illustrated pages signed with Lucifer's initials, that when properly deciphered, unlocks the "ninth gate" to the ultimate "power-up".
Nobody is able to solve the puzzle until now, when book dealer/detective Johnny Depp is hired by a wealthy collector, who owns 1 of the 3 books, to compare his copy with the other 2 that belong to separate owners, located in Portugal and France.
Okay, nice concept. I was hooked. I was entertained. I was liking almost everything in this movie; the visuals, the creepy sometimes circusy soundtrack, the mystery woman, the performances by Depp & Langella. Everything except when I got to the ending, which left me going "Huh? What the hell? That's it? That's the end?". It feels incomplete, unsatisfying, anti-climactic.
And here's why. Here comes the spoiler.
For the main character he gets his reward -- he gets laid with a hot chick and this she-devil grants him the final key to ultimate power. For the viewer, all the reward you get is to see Johnny Depp's back as he walks to the entrance of an old castle, gets engulfed by light and fades out. Man, that is SO LAME! I expected something more dramatic than that. Remember that scene in the coolest movie of all time, Matrix Reloaded, when Neo finally reaches the doorway to the Source and engulfed by light? Imagine that the movie ended right there, without proceeding to the Architect scene & the saving of Trinity. That's how it feels. Well, okay the Architect scene was pretentious B.S. anyway, but that's another story. The point is, it leaves you feeling hanging, feeling that there's something missing.
Hell, I'd even settle for a Michael Jackson Thriller type of ending with a shot of Johnny Depp grinning, demonic eyes glowing, with or without the maniacal Vincent Price laughing in the background. Just give me a more tangible, tactile way to express that he acquired some of the Devil's powers and I'm happy. Other than that, I wouldn't mind watching this again.
DVD Review: Good
Summary: 4 Stars
If you like a mystery with supernatural overtones then you will like this.I liked the sound track too,in helping with the overall feel of intrigue.The ending could have been a little more in depth.I felt I wanted more information.Acting good.
Description of The Ninth Gate
Dean curso is an unscrupulous rare-book dealer who is hired to locate the last remaining copies of the nine gates of the shadow kingdom a demonic manuscipt that can summon the devil. Corso becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving murder theft & satanic ritual & finds himself confronting the devil. Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 05/22/2007 Starring: Johnny Depp Run time: 133 minutes Rating: R Director: Roman PolanskiGeneral DVDs
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